The disclosure relates in some aspects to enabling a user terminal (UT) to obtain information about nearby cells and any beams generated by nearby cells. For example, a network can send a neighbor cell list to UTs, where the list identifies the cells in that neighborhood and provides information about any beams generated by those cells. Thus, a UT can learn the neighboring beams/cells that the UT can reselect to if the current beam/cell becomes weak. In some aspects, the UE can learn the attitude (e.g., pitch, roll, yaw, or any combination thereof) profile of neighboring satellites as well as the pointing angles and the ON-OFF schedules of their beams. In some aspects, the UT can learn a start angle and a span for a satellite and use this information to identify a satellite the UT can reselect to if the current beam/cell becomes weak.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the neighbor cell list includes at least one start angle and span for the plurality of satellites.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one start angle and span is for at least one elevation angle.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one start angle and span is for at least one azimuth angle.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one start angle and span is for at least one yaw angle.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the neighbor cell list includes at least one start angle and span for the plurality of satellites.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one start angle and span is for at least one elevation angle.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one start angle and span is for at least one azimuth angle.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one start angle and span is for at least one yaw angle.
18. The method of claim 12, wherein the identification of the target beam comprises searching for at least one cell associated with the plurality of satellites.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the identification of the set of satellites comprises identifying at least one satellite of the plurality of satellites at locations to which the first user terminal is able to point an antenna.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the identification of the particular satellite that provides coverage for the first user terminal comprises identifying at least one second satellite of the identified at least one satellite that can currently provide coverage for the first user terminal.
26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the identification of the target beam comprises a search for at least one cell associated with the plurality of satellites.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 1, 2017
April 18, 2023
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